New small box discount stores forbidden in Walhalla

Citywide, for the next six months, there shall be no new discount stores anywhere within Walhalla’s corporate limits.  Brent Taylor, city administrator, made the announcement last night after city council met privately to consider the moratorium.  Taylor said the vote to adopt the ordinance passed 5-0.  The executive session followed an airing out of whether Walhalla should permit a Dollar General proposed for W. Main Street, three blocks from the core commercial district.  Of seven members of the public who spoke, all except one supported the moratorium.  Lana and Bruce Justice were among those who embraced the word “quaint” to describe the looks of the Main Street business district.  Moratorium supporters argued that a Dollar General wouldn’t mesh with the investments that independent business people have begun to make in the city.  From the audience, the only speaker against the moratorium was realtor Kim Gasque who said she believes Dollar General could make the look of its building compatible to the image Walhalla projects.  Gasque said the store would improve the property location and an additional taxpayer would be added to the city.